Updated 2025-06-23T15:02:57Z
- Retail wages have risen as workers remain in high demand.
- Entry-level employees now find jobs on the sales floor that pay more than $17 an hour.
- BI asked Glassdoor to round up 20 of the highest-paying entry-level retail jobs in the US.
Retail wages have gone up quite a bit in recent years.
Although the federal minimum wage is still $7.25 per hour (since 2009), fewer and fewer employers can get by without paying at least double that.
A worker would need to earn $17.66 an hour with a 35-hour weekly schedule for 52 weeks in order to meet the US poverty line of $32,150 for a family of four. However, full-time schedules from a single retailer can be difficult to find.
To find out which companies pay the most, Business Insider asked the jobs experts at Glassdoor to share their data from the past year for entry-level sales floor jobs.
Glassdoor calculated average pay using hourly wage information submitted by platform users between January 2024 and May 2025, for retail or sales roles in the retail and wholesale sectors.
To be included in the analysis, companies had to have at least 1,000 employees. All the entries on this list had a minimum of 30 worker-submitted salaries.
Keep reading for a look at 20 of the highest-paying entry-level retail jobs in the US:
20. Discount Tire — $17.57
Discount Tire got its start in 1960 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and has grown to become one of the US's largest independent tire and wheel retailers. The chain has more than 1,100 locations in 38 states.
19. Nordstrom — $17.59
Department store Nordstrom had a rocky run a few years back, but the now-private company said in 2024 that it was back to profitability and building momentum.
18. Woodman's – $17.61
Woodman's started as a produce stand in 1919. It has grown into a $2 billion employee-owned grocery chain with 19 stores in Wisconsin and Illinois.
17. ALDI – $17.63
Limited-selection grocer ALDI has over 2,400 locations across the US, with plans to open more stores soon.
16. FedEx Office – $17.64
FedEx Office employees assist customers with more than just shipping boxes — they also offer custom printing options and a selection of office supplies.
15. Dillard's – $17.74
Dillard's opened its first store in 1938 in Nashville, Arkansas. It now has 272 stores across 30 states.
14. Sephora — $17.86
LVMH-owned beauty retailer Sephora has more than 1,700 retail locations in North America, including both stand-alone stores and partnerships with other retailers like Kohl's.
13. Living Spaces – $18.24
The California-based home furnishings retailer has about 40 locations in the Western US. It prides itself on offering a range of aesthetic options at affordable prices.
12. Fred Meyer – $18.25
In 1922, entrepreneur Fred Meyer wanted to offer a one-stop shopping experience. Kroger acquired the business in 1999, and today, Meyer's namesake's cavernous stores carry some 225,000 different products.
11. Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits — $18.54
Southern Glazer's traces its roots back to 1908, when Louis Glazer sold flavored soda off the back of a horse cart. The beverage wholesaler serves 47 US markets plus Canada, the Caribbean, and South America.
10. REI – $18.58
Founded in 1938, the outdoor lifestyle co-op employs 14,000 people across about 190 locations in the US.
9. CarMax — $18.71
CarMax is one of the largest sellers of used autos in the US, with around 250 locations across the country.
8. IKEA – $18.77
The Swedish furniture giant has dozens of US stores where it sells its products.
7. Bloomingdale's – $18.95
The Macy's-owned luxury department store has over 50 US locations, including the brand's outlet and Bloomie's offshoots. Bloomingdale's is a key part of the struggling corporation's growth plans.
6. Trader Joe's – $19.05
From its humble beginnings in Pasadena, California, Trader Joe's now boasts over 500 locations across the US that sell a low-cost assortment of private-label groceries.
5. Buc-ee's – $19.06
Buc-ee's large format travel centers boast clean restrooms — a must-have for any road trip — and their retail and food operation has attracted legions of fans of the growing brand.
3. (tie) Lululemon – $19.33
The yoga pants (and more) brand has hundreds of US stores, which are not only places to buy apparel but also hubs for events, trainings, and even alterations.
3. (tie) Costco – $19.33
The wholesale club has more than 600 locations across the US and employs over 200,000 US workers.
2. Grainger — $21.19
Grainger offers a broad selection of equipment, supplies, tools, and parts for maintenance, repair, and operations primarily in North America, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
1. Aritzia — $22.46
Aritzia has been in business since 1984, and the women's fashion retailer has been booming in the last few years. The company now has 124 locations, according to Business of Fashion, and it's getting larger, from 1,500 square-foot boutiques to around 10,000 on average today.
